'Free' Flat Repair

"jariten1781" (jariten1781) 08/24/2015 at 10:10 • Filed to: None

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So, late last week my wife picked up a small self tapping screw in her front right tire. Normally I’d just pull it, string plug, and get on with life...but this weekend I had nothing on my plate so I decided to check out the local tire shops. Around here, all the chains offer ‘free flat repair’ and I figured this’d be a good chance to see how they operate since I’ll be needing a new set of summers next Spring and hadn’t used a shop around here recently.

Being a ‘free’ service (and nothing actually being free in life) I figured this could either go two ways: Quick and easy to build up good will with the customer to get an in on future business; or hard sell on new tires.

Going in to each of the shops I told them the same thing: Picked up a screw, losing a pound per day, well within the center of the tread (to stave off the ‘we can’t fix it, it’s too near the shoulder BS), recognize the tires are nearing end of life (not there yet though, couple millimeters above the wear bars at the worst), only going to be on them until ~November then I’ll be buying a new set in Spring when I swap off winters and I don’t have a favorite shop yet.

First store I went to (an NTB) was the worst of the bunch. Right when they open Saturday, not a single customer but me, walk in and get glad-handed by the manager. Takes the keys to pull the car in while I input info into a putty terminal. Throws it up on the lift. I’m watching through the glass as a tech chalks out the screw location and goes to grab the impact. See the manager shush him then comes and grabs me. Walks me out and goes ‘You have a screw’ (no shit, I told you that). ‘Not eligible for the ‘free’ patch because they don’t carry that brand’ (find out later that NTB does, in fact, sell Pirelli). ‘Won’t patch anyway because the tires are worn too near the wear bars and the plug/patch’ will fall off’ (hahahaha, wut?). Tells me they have stuff in stock that fits...I tell him thanks but no thanks.

Go back inside while they pull it off the lift, less than half an hour spent, not too bad to black list a store so I don’t get boned in the future. Smiley manager walks in and goes ‘I know you said you’re not interested...but this will blow your mind. Even if I could patch it, I’d charge you 40$s, but I have tires in stock that I can put on for only 55$s.’ Ask for the invoice because I can’t even imagine what BS he’s selling. Some brand I’ve never heard of (Velozza), and while the tires were 55 he was going to charge 45 EACH for mounting and balancing plus another 25 for disposal.

Then, when I go out to the car the tech is standing there with the keys and tells me “Sounds like you already know this...I have no clue what his problem is, that tire is fine, it looks like a clean puncture from the outside...go to another store, there’s no reason it can’t be patched.”

The other two shops I tried (a Merchants and a Mr. Tire) both had ‘reasons’ I was ineligible for the free job, and both pushed new tires (with options...not just some weird Chinese brand with ridiculous install costs), and both offered to patch it for ~25$s (which is a fair price in my estimation, which I probably would have just done if they hadn’t advertised the free service).

Went home and string plugged it.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 10:15

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Did the other two shops use the same reasons not to patch for free?

Ash78, voting early and often > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 10:15

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I never trust those places. It took me years to finally find a place (NON-chain, in business 90 years) that charges me a flat $80 for four tires mounted and balanced, no hidden charges, disposal fees, and no hard-sell if I walk in my own tires from Discount or TireRack...and they give me free lifetime R&B. Nail patches are maybe $15 or $20.

Finding a good shop and sticking with them is WAY better than the hassle of a free gimmick.

Logansteno: Bought a VW? > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 10:17

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Velozza is NTB’s “house” brand. I have them on the front of my M3 because it was an emergency situation and I couldn’t splurge for a nice set of Michelins. Actually not a bad tire if I’m being honest. I’d buy them again.

Party-vi > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 10:23

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NTB is hit and miss depending who is running the store, but $45 to mount and balance and $25 for disposal is ridiculous.

jariten1781 > Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero 08/24/2015 at 10:24

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The others gave a somewhat reasonable “It’s not worth your/our time to do it since you’re only buying a couple months then replacing them anyway...just replace them now. If you really want to though, we’ll do it for the normal price”.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 10:27

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What does free tire patching actually cover then? I don’t get it lol.

Rainbow > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 10:35

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My dad told me to go to Kauffman for my puncture. Not sure if you have one nearby, but apparently they’re the best for that in my area at least. I haven’t gone yet since it’s still holding air well and it’s not a drive wheel, so it doesn’t matter too much if it’s off by a couple PSI.

jariten1781 > Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) 08/24/2015 at 10:42

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It covers getting them a warm body through the door. Works too, apparently.

Wrong Wheel Drive (41%) > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 11:00

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Yeah I imagine a lot of people come in with near-bald tires and just take them up on whatever offer they are given.

functionoverfashion > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 11:16

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While it is, in fact, a marketing scheme, I would have been very tempted to push them on what a ‘Free Flat Repair’ actually is. Like, in writing. You had a pretty good case for that repair, it seems. Yes, your tires were “close” to needing replacement, but they were perfectly legal to run. I applaud your patience with these clowns.

And yeah, the $45/ea mount and balance + $25/ea disposal is like saying, “sure we’ll give you another $1000 on your trade-in, but we’ll have to charge you the full $750 delivery charge and $250 processing fee. Wait a minute...

64Mali > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 11:17

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Can I recommend getting a plug kit and doing it yourself? Its pretty straightforward. I had one of these kits (used up the CO2 by now) and have plugged around 5 tires one of which was an emergency right on the edge of the sidewall. Held for another 2 years. I wont lie its sometimes a pain to do but saved my ass many times.

http://safetyseal.com/catalog/index.…

Yes I know it says ATV only but I have had many a mechanic say its fine. And all the plugs I have used are still holding perfect.

Sampsonite24-Earth's Least Likeliest Hero > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 11:36

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Wow such bait much switch

jariten1781 > functionoverfashion 08/24/2015 at 11:44

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I was treating it more like a scouting mission than really trying to get the free repair. Not worth dickering over 25$s, especially since I was perfectly confident doing the plug at home.

If one of the shops had just gone “Sure” and patched it up then, come Spring, I would have price shopped them with Tire Rack/Discount and bought there if it was close or had them mount/balanced there if it was reasonable. As it is I ruled out wasting future money at one shop, for sure, and likely the two others.

jariten1781 > 64Mali 08/24/2015 at 11:49

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That’s what I ended up doing. I’ve string plugged a number of tires over the years and have yet to have one fail...Was just checking scouting the shops for potential future business, if the repair had actually come free it'd have been a bonus.

Textured Soy Protein > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 12:36

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My local Discount Tire has done a couple of free patches for me, no questions asked. Hell, the first time I didn’t even know they offered it for free. I just called saying I had some kind of a leak in the tire, and when it came time to give the car back they said no charge.

functionoverfashion > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 12:45

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An interesting mission, and funny story in any case.

I don’t have a plug kit, but I do know what kind of beer my local trusted independent shops like...

jariten1781 > Textured Soy Protein 08/24/2015 at 13:26

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Yeah, when I lived down in SC I frequented the North Charleston Discount Tire. They’d always match Tire Rack’s prices and throw in mounting balancing for free and, on one occasion when a tire got shredded after hitting a 2x4 with a bunch of nails sticking out, they fudged the paperwork and retroactively gave me the road hazard warranty rather than charging me for a new one. I was hoping to have a similar experience at one of these places...but no joy.

Will with a W8 races an E30 > jariten1781 08/24/2015 at 17:15

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My local Bell Tire actually does a free patch - I’ve brought them numerous tires (usually off the vehicle), and pick up 2 hours later, patched from the inside no questions asked.